Fluorinated polymers containing pendant side chains are often used to prepare ion exchange membranes. Such membranes have outstanding properties as barrier membranes to separate the anode and cathode compartments of electrolytic cells used for the production of chlorine and caustic.
Fluorinated polymers containing carboxyl side chains provide excellent current efficiency in such electrolytic cells, but result in high operating voltages. By contrast, fluorinated polymers containing sulfonyl groups in the side chains permit operation at low voltages, but result in poor current efficiency in the electrolytic cell.
It has previously been recognized that combinations of polymers having sulfonyl and carboxyl groups or combinations of polymers having different equivalent weights are desirable to provide an optimum balance of performance characteristics in an electrolytic cell using membranes prepared from such polymers. Under normal cell operation, the water permeation characteristics of the layers are sufficiently close that the layers remain in intimate contact with each other. However, abnormal cell conditions, such as loss of electrical power, failure of water feed to the cathode chamber and particularly interruption or loss of brine feed to the cell, can produce a large difference in water transport. For example, if the anolyte is depleted below 50 g/l NaCl, a large quantity of water will be transported through a fluorinated polymer having a sulfonyl side chains. However, the water is substantially less able to permeate a polymer having carboxyl-containing side chains. Thus, during an upset of cell operation, a composite of two such polymers may experience a buildup of water at the interface, resulting in delamination of the composite.